COVID-19 PULSE

Start off with a weekly recap of the main Public Affairs developments across LATAM. COVID-19 PULSE – PUBLIC AFFAIRS LATAM Tuesday, October 13 – Monday, October 19, 2020 Argentina STATS: 989,680 cases of COVID-19, 26,267 deceased, as confirmed by the Health Ministry.

[EXECUTIVE POWER] By Decree, the National [LOCAL MEASURES] Looking forward to [DIGITAL ECONOMY] The government Executive extended until October 25th the boosting the export levels, The National launched a public e commerce platform called mandatory and preventive social isolation, for Executive agreed with the Agro-industrial Correo Compras, by which companies, the AMBA region and the most affected areas Counsel to work on a specific initiative for the factories and other producers will be able to of the country. Meanwhile, the rest of the activity´s development, for which special work sell their products online. This service will be country, continues in the social isolation groups were created. (Source) for free at first, and then low commissions will phase. (Source) be charged. (Source)

[COVID RELATED] The Ministry of Transport [FOOD AND BEVERAGE] The Senate´s [HEALTH] Government officials, including Chief authorized the resumption of international and committees of Health, and Industry and of Staff Santiago Cafiero and Health Minister domestic flights, and long - distance means of Commerce are currently working on an Ginés González García presented the Plan transport, for essential workers, and for health initiative to create a system of front labelling AccionAr, by which the Government will reasons. (Source) for alimentary products. Last week, they strategically intervene and destinate resources received several speakers and specialists to to protect of the most vulnerable sectors of discuss about it. (Source) the population. (Source

[ECONOMY] In order to promote the [TECHNOLOGY] The National Bank officially [MANUFACTURING] The Executive Power investments in national currency, the Central launched the credit lines for the purchase of launched the Program of Assistance to Bank increased the minimum interest rates set electrical appliances to pay in 36 installments, Strategic Companies in process of Debt for fixed- term deposits. (Source) which will be available until November 30th . Restructuring, to support exporter companies (Source) that fulfill some specific requirements related to their financial situation, and number of registered employees. (Source) COVID-19 PULSE – PUBLIC AFFAIRS LATAM Tuesday, October 13 – Monday, October 19, 2020 Brazil STATS: 5.251.416 cases of COVID-19, 154.243 deceased, as confirmed by the Health Ministry

[EXECUTIVE POWER] The Jair Bolsonaro government [LOCAL MEASURES] Municipal elections: The [DIGITAL ECONOMY] The President Jair disapproval fell to the lowest level since May 2019, mayors' response to the Covid pandemic can Bolsonaro and ministers presented a new bill to according to a survey conducted by XP Investments and define the 2020 election, affirms the political incentive innovation and the creation of startups Institute for Social, Political and Economic Research experts.(Source) in Brazil. (Source) (Ipespe). According to the pool, 31% of the interviewees evaluated the government as bad or terrible and the last month was 36% (Source)

[COVID RELATED] President Jair Bolsonaro affirmed [FOOD AND BEVERAGE] The agricultural [HEALTH] The Brazilian government rejected vaccination against Covid-19 will not be mandatory. For sector not suffered the impacts of the adhering to India and South Africa’s proposal to the president, it is not possible to enforce those who have pandemic and leads the hiring of new jobs in suspended all patents on medicines, vaccines, already contracted the disease and would be immunized 2020 (Source) and products to combat covid-19. The to take the vaccine.(Source) government of Brazil already approve the intellectual property agreements (TRIPS) that leave points to suspend patents in case of need. (Source) [ECONOMY] The Brazilian unemployment rate bites 14% [TECHNOLOGY] The Brazilian government [MANUFACTURING] Coronavac, a of the population with more than 14 million people launched a new method of payment by a Chinese vaccine, starts to be produced in São seeking jobs, according to the Brazilian Institute of mobile application. The system allows Paulo this month. In the first stage of the last Geography and Statistics (IBGE). During the pandemic financial transactions in seconds at any time phase of clinical trials in Brazil, the drug proved period, there was an increase of about 4.1 million the day, this technology is present in 56 to be safe (Source) unemployed.(Source) countries.(Source) COVID-19 PULSE – PUBLIC AFFAIRS LATAM Tuesday, October 13 – Monday, October 19, 2020 Bolivia STATS: 139,771 cases of COVID-19, 8,481 deceased, as confirmed by the Health Ministry.

[EXECUTIVE POWER] Luis Arce, candidate of LOCAL MEASURES] El Alto airport in La Paz is [DIGITAL ECONOMY] Banco FIE enabled the the Movement for Socialism and former at risk of ceasing to operate due to the service of virtual banking agencies. This minister of Evo Morales, is the new president construction of a building that could obstruct innovative system allows people to reserve a of Bolivia. Although the official results have it. The Mayoralty of the said that the space and be attended through a video call not been published yet, Evo Morales, Nicolás construction work must stop as soon as with the bank's staff, thus avoiding travel to Maduro, and the interim president Jeanine possible. (Source) the financial institution. (Source) Áñez recognize Arce's triumph. (Source) [COVID RELATED] According to the Twenty- [FOOD AND BEVERAGE] Fearing social conflict [HEALTH] Health authorities urged the Bolivian fourth Report of the Municipal Risk Index after Sunday's elections, people are going to population to cast their vote to elect national published by the Health Ministry, the number markets, but the government denies that government authorities and assembly of municipalities with a high risk of COVID-19 there is a food shortage in the country. The members, assuming at least seven biosafety infections fell from 66 to 62 in the last week, Executive assures that it is only speculation. measures to vote in a pandemic, to prevent which represents 18%. (Source) (Source) the spread of Covid-19 on this electoral party. (Source) [ECONOMY Eight monetary policy measures [TECHNOLOGY] Technological changes were [MANUFACTURING] According to president promoted by the Central Bank of Bolivia (BCB) introduced in the Bolivian presidential elected Luis Arce, manufacturing sector is one made it possible to inject 24,771 million elections to give them credibility. The of the sector that had received high levels of Bolivianos into the economy, equivalent to Preliminary Results Dissemination System foreign private investment in the country. 10% of GDP, and thus maintain the liquidity of (Direpre) will replace the Preliminary Electoral (Source) the financial system and channel credits Results Transmission System (TREP), which (Source) stopped working on election night 2019. (Source) COVID-19 PULSE – PUBLIC AFFAIRS LATAM Tuesday, October 13 – Monday, October 19, 2020 Chile STATS: 493,305 cases of COVID-19, 13,676 deceased, as confirmed by the Health Ministry.

[EXECUTIVE POWER] Sebastián Piñera visited [LOCAL MEASURES] The authorities [DIGITAL ECONOMY] The Santiago Chamber one of the voting places of the Plebiscite that announced that Metropolitan Park Cable Car of Commerce projected that as a result of the will be held next Sunday, and reiterated the will reopen on October 23, after being closed pandemic, online sales will reach US$9.4 sanitary measures that will be applied to for seven months due to the COVID-19 billion in 2020, an amount much higher than prevent the spread of COVID-19, among them, pandemic (Source). last year's balance when they totaled US$6 the extension of voting hours (Source). billion (Source).

[COVID RELATED] Government authorities [FOOD AND BEVERAGE] According to data [HEALTH] Health Ministry reported that at the met with important representatives of the from the Trade Union Association of Supplier national level, the positivity of COVID-19 cases Sinovac laboratory, which is about to begin Industries, Perishable Groceries increased its is 4.9%, while the variation of new confirmed clinical trials of its “Coronavac” vaccine project sales by 9.8% in August, followed by Food, cases is negative by less than 6% in the last in Chile (Source). with 8.1%. Meanwhile, the Beverages, Liquors week, and less than 11% in the last 14 days and Beers category fell 1.9% (Source). (Source).

[ECONOMY] The government launched new [TECHNOLOGY] A simulation carried out by [MANUFACTURING] With the aim of reversing program for $18 billion for the reactivation of the Center for Mathematical Modeling of the the economic crisis caused by the pandemic, micro and small businesses. "Reactívate University of Chile and the CNRS of France, seven associations of indigenous weavers Pyme" will benefit more than 6,200 SMB´s, revealed that a traceability app could reduce came together to market their products to belonging to any sector (Source). by half the number of people hospitalized obtain better results for the textile business from COVID-19 (Source). and other local creations (Source). COVID-19 PULSE – PUBLIC AFFAIRS LATAM Tuesday, October 13 – Monday, October 19, 2020 Colombia STATS: 965,883 cases of COVID-19, 29,102 deceased, as confirmed by the Health Ministry.

[EXECUTIVE POWER] The National LOCAL MEASURES] After President Iván Duque [DIGITAL ECONOMY] The Colombian Chamber Government announced that it would intensify lifted the quarantine decreed by the COVID-19 of Electronic Commerce (CCCE) reported on control at the border crossing between pandemic, some cities began economic Wednesday that e-commerce sales in the first Colombia and Venezuela. According to the reactivation plans by applying strict biosafety eight months of the year were $ 17.1 billion, border manager, Lucas Gómez, they would measures. However, cities such as 25.3% more compared to the almost $ 14 work on the protocols to determine the best Bucaramanga and Cali have registered a slight billion registered in the same period of 2019. way to reopen the borders. (Source) increase in the number of cases. (Source) (Source)

[COVID RELATED] Health Minister Fernando [FOOD AND BEVERAGE] According to a study [HEALTH] The Administrator of Resources of Ruiz confirmed that the vaccine would be free from the University of North Carolina, the the General System of Social Security in Health for all Colombians. Once the Government National University of Colombia, and the (Adres) reported that they gave the first bonus has the vaccine against the virus, it will have a Javeriana University, Colombians can easily for healthcare professionals that attended the warehouse with the capacity to store around perceive which food and beverages are less pandemic. (Source) 15 million doses. (Source) healthy through the front warning stamps on the front of their packaging. (Source) [ECONOMY] The National Council for [TECHNOLOGY] Colombia ranks third in the [MANUFACTURING] Due to the targeted Economic and Social Policy (Conpes) issued the 2019 Digital Government Index, an initiative restrictions that Bogotá and Medellín draft of the policy program for economic that rates the digital transformation policies of implemented in August, the recovery in reactivation and sustainable growth, with 33 countries evaluated by the Organization for production and sales in the manufacturing which the Government will try to overcome Economic Cooperation and Development sector stopped. (Source) the crisis that generated the pandemic in (OECD). (Source) terms of income, employment, poverty, debt, consumption, among others. (Source) COVID-19 PULSE – PUBLIC AFFAIRS LATAM Tuesday, October 13 – Monday, October 19, 2020 Ecuador STATS: 153,423 cases of COVID-19, 12,395 deceased, as confirmed by the Health Ministry.

[DIGITAL ECONOMY] According to the LOCAL MEASURES] The Confederation of [EXECUTIVE POWER] President Lenín Moreno Association of Banks of Ecuador (Asobanca), Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) received the credentials of the ambassadors of banking transactions carried out through digital in Quito denounced the Ecuadorian State for Venezuela, Great Britain, Hungary, Chile, Malta channels have had an increase of 26% during the the deaths and injuries in the clashes between and the European Union. (Source) first half of 2020 compared to 2019. In contrast, the security forces and protesters during the transactions in physical channels decreased by violent protests of October 2019. (Source) 39%. (Source) [COVID RELATED] The Minister of Health [FOOD AND BEVERAGE] With the pandemic, assured that they do not expect a vaccine [HEALTH] The Minister of Health, Juan Carlos restaurants, cafes, bars, and discos in Ecuador before March or April 2021. He affirmed that Zevallos, highlighted that investment in medical have permanently closed or adapted. Ecuador is part of the WHO COVAX initiative, centers has been one of the main actions during Establishments made the decision to reduce has spoken with AstraZeneca, is negotiating the pandemic. He said it has been $ 25 million in their size, close, or move to spaces that allow with a laboratory in India, and has letters of personal protective equipment, medical devices, them to focus on production and not on face- commitment with Pfizer and others and PCR diagnostic tests. (Source) to-face service. (Source) laboratories. (Source) [MANUFACTURING] Unemployment was [ECONOMY] The director of the Center for reduced by 486,963 workers (48.23%) during Studies of the International Monetary Fund [TECHNOLOGY] Rappi started a pilot plan for September. According to Andrés Isch, Minister of (IMF), Gita Gopintah, presented the updated drone deliveries in Quito. The objective is to Labor, the recovery is due to the increase in jobs estimated figures on the world economy. reach areas far from the urban area of ​​the city. in four sectors: agriculture and livestock (1.1%), Regarding Ecuador, the national economy (Source) commerce (5.4%), manufacturing (6.1%), and would contract 11% in 2020. (Source) construction (13.3%). (Source) COVID-19 PULSE – PUBLIC AFFAIRS LATAM Tuesday, October 13 – Monday, October 19, 2020 Mexico STATS: 851,277 cases of COVID-19, 86,167 deceased, as confirmed by the Health Ministry.

[EXECUTIVE POWER] President Andrés [LOCAL MEASURES] The U.S. land border with [DIGITAL ECONOMY] According to the Mexican Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) said that Mexico will be closed to all non-essential travel Association of Online Sales, 2 out of 10 when the vaccine is ready and approved until November 21. (Source) businesses and brands expect e-commerce to by the Mexican authorities, he would like represent more than 30% of their total sales by to publicly be vaccinated in order to send a 2021. (Source) message of trust to citizens. (Source)

[COVID RELATED] According to the [FOOD AND BEVERAGE] The Ministry of [HEALTH] There are 8 states that have registered insurance industry in Mexico, COVID-19 Economy published a list of dairy products an increase in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks has become one of the diseases with the labeled as “cheese” and “yoghurt” that violated which is a clear indication of a possible second highest costs due to the use of expensive different Official Mexican Norms, immediately outbreak in the country. (Source) protection instruments by medical banning their commercialization and fining the personnel and the cost of intensive care brands. (Source) services. (Source) [ECONOMY] The International Monetary [TECHNOLOGY] More than 700 scientists from [MANUFACTURING] Mexico had a 30.5% drop in Fund (IMF) estimates that the prestigious universities around the world, car sales from January to September. (Source) unemployment rate in Mexico will reach including Harvard, Oxford, Yale, Cambridge, 5.2% this year and 5.8% in 2021. (Source) Stanford, and MIT, signed a document in support of the public trust funds that are set to disappear, asking legislators to reconsider their vote as it will be “a hard blow to science and technology in Mexico”. (Source) COVID-19 PULSE – PUBLIC AFFAIRS LATAM Tuesday, October 13 – Monday, October 19, 2020 Paraguay STATS: 54, 724 cases of COVID-19, 1188 deceased, as confirmed by the Health Ministry.

[EXECUTIVE POWER] President Mario Abdo [LOCAL MEASURES] The National health [DIGITAL ECONOMY] According to the Benítez expressed that the Executive Power is Ministry agreed with authorities of the President of the E Commerce Chamber, the currently working on several changes among Department of Central, to work on volume of purchases through e commerce the officials of the Ministry of Finances,. coordinated actions to stop the COVID-19 increased 85% since January, due to the Apparently, the replacement of the Minister – spread in the region –which is among the most pandemic. The activities with the greatest who was appointed Vice President of the Inter- affected ones- . (Source) incidence on this raise, were pharmacies, American Bank of Development- would not be supermarkets, electrical appliances and the only one. (Source) electronical devises. (Source) [COVID RELATED] The Paraguayan borders [FOOD AND BEVERAGE] According to a report [HEALTH] During a public act, Minister Julio with Brazil were officially reopened. In this released by the Central Bank, the exportation Mazzoleni received 30 artificial respirators, regard, President Mario Abdo Benítez of primary products increased 15.3% which were supplied by the Government of requested for social responsibility, and interannually in September. The products with the United States, supported by the manifested his hope towards the positive the greatest positive incidence on this figure Government of Brasil, to strengthen the impact of the reactivation of cross-border were soy beans and rice, while those with the health system´s capacity of response . trade on the economy. (Source) - greatest negative incidence were corn, and (Source) wheat. (Source) [ECONOMY] According to the Central Bank´s [TECHNOLOGY] The Ministry of Industry and [MANUFACTURING] According to the COMEX Estimator of Economic Activity, the Commerce launched courses of technical department of the Central Bank, the Paraguayan economy fell again in August, after assistance on Digital Marketing for SMES. exportation of industrial manufactures fell two consecutive months of increase. This time, (Source) 14.4% interannually, in the month of the registered interannual fall was of 2.1%. September. (Source) (Source) COVID-19 PULSE – PUBLIC AFFAIRS LATAM Tuesday, October 13 – Monday, October 19, 2020 Peru

STATS: 868,675 cases of COVID-19, 33,759 deceased, as confirmed by the Health Ministry.

[EXECUTIVE POWER] To guarantee a [LOCAL MEASURES] The president of the [DIGITAL ECONOMY] Until October 19, the responsible reactivation of tourism in Peru, Council of Ministers, Walter Martos Ruiz, country's suppliers dedicated to the ceramics, seriously affected by the coronavirus launched in Andahuaylas, in Apurímac, the paintings, pipes, and sanitary sectors have the pandemic, the Government presented the “Go new hospitalization environment for COVID-19 opportunity to expand their sales to State back” campaign. (Source) patients at the Temporary Attention and institutions, registering in the call of the Isolation Center (CAAT) installed by the Central de Compras Públicas (Perú Compras), National Health Investment Program (Pronis) that seeks to incorporate them into electronic of the Ministry of Health (Minsa). (Source) catalogs. (Source) [COVID RELATED] The Ministry of Culture [FOOD AND BEVERAGE] To facilitate the [HEALTH] The Ministry of Health specified that approved the sanitary protocol for the access of producers to the credits granted by the treatment for outpatients with COVID-19 implementation of surveillance, prevention, the Agro Business Support Fund (FAE-Agro), would only contemplate the optional use of and control measures against COVID-19 in the only one document would be requested, which ivermectin, and only for people with risk productions of advertising and could be the property title. (Source) factors (comorbidities) who are in the first cinematographic audiovisual works. (Source) days of the disease and by medical prescription. (Source) [ECONOMY] The Ministry of Economy and [TECHNOLOGY] To facilitate the activities of [MANUFACTURING] The Ministry of Economy Finance (MEF) approved an initial transfer of the authorities and access to information, the and Finance (MEF) published the operating 233 million 544 thousand 561 soles in favor of National Forest and Wildlife Service (Serfor) regulations of the standard that establishes the Ministry of Energy and Mines (Minen) to presented a mobile and web application of the extraordinary provisions for the finance the Electricity Bond. (Source) forest and wildlife regulations in force and reprogramming and freezing of debts of articulated at the service of users of the natural persons and micro and small sector. (Source) companies (mypes) affected by COVID-19. (Source) COVID-19 PULSE – PUBLIC AFFAIRS LATAM Tuesday, October 13 – Monday, October 19, 2020 Uruguay STATS: 2.531 cases of COVID-19, 51 deceased, as confirmed by the Health Ministry.

[EXECUTIVE POWER] The Chamber of LOCAL MEASURES] After seven months, the [DIGITAL ECONOMY] A team of technicians is Representatives approved the Budget bill sent education authorities re-establish the making the Coronavirus Uy app compatible by the Executive and now goes to Senators. compulsory attendance at educational centers with its peers in Argentina and Brazil so that (Source) throughout the country. (Source) there is a kind of traceability of tourist mobility. (Source)

[COVID RELATED] Currently there are 375 [FOOD AND BEVERAGE] Uruguay has a meat [HEALTH] The President of the Medical College people who are suffering from the disease stock to supply international markets affected of Uruguay affirmed that borders should not throughout the country, and 51 people have by the pandemic. In addition, the Government be opened this summer season for foreigners died since the beginning of the health created a working group to reduce the tariff and called for reinforcing preventive emergency on March 13. (Source) payment and set an agenda. (Source) measures. (Source)

[ECONOMY] The International Monetary Fund [TECHNOLOGY] The state telecommunications [MANUFACTURING] The hard core of the released its World Economic Outlook report, company ANTEL inaugurated room III of the industry aggravated its situation during the which includes new estimates for the international datacenter in the city of Pando, month of August, according to data from the Uruguayan economy. (Source) after an investment of 12 million dollars, National Institute of Statistics. (Source) which may be used by public and private companies. (Source)